The spectacular outdoor wine event has been the favourite of many winelovers for decades, partially thanks to its picturesque venue – the UNESCO World Heritage Castle of Buda. Winemakers usually poured their wines personally, thus it was an important meeting point for the trade. This year due to COVID–19 the festival will be held with limited exhibitors and limited attendants allowed to enter at the same time. On 10–13 September guests are welcome – only if they already stay in Hungary, since the borders of Hungary are closed in September. It will be a special vintage indeed…

Szekszárd community wine stand

The largest international wine competition of Hungary is VinAgora, and this year the town of Szekszárd hosted the prestigious contest. Szekszárd wine region will be represented probably with the most wineries at Budapest Wine Festival with estates like Vesztergombi, Lajver or Eszterbauer. Bikavér, the famous blend of Hungary is allowed to be produced in Eger and Szekszárd, but this versatile region makes amazing rozé wines and some white as well. At VinAgora the Eszterbauers received two gold medals, one for Eszterbauer Frankos 2017 and another one for Mesterünk 2017, a Bordeaux blend. It is highly recommended to visit and taste the wines, not only because of the stories and the labels with the family ancestors, but because of the high quality and unique character of the wines.

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Garamvári Vineyard – the young talent of the year

This year, chief winemaker Péter Baranyai won the special prize for the most successful young winemaker of the VinAgora International Wine Competition, with the Champion Prize for Traditional Sparkling Wines, as well as three other gold and three silver medals. Garamvári’s booth is more than worth visiting: from stunning bottle fermented sparkling wines through aromatic whites and crispy rosés to silky, fruity red wines guests will find a wide selection of wines. Vencel Garamvári, the owner is known as ‘the doyen’of sparkling wines, and indeed he and his team have put a lot of effort to prove Hungary’s capacity to create elegant sparkling wines.

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Koch Winery – Winemaker of the Year

Every December members of the Hungarian wine trade start the guessing game about who would be the next Winemaker of the Year. The title is precious, and the winner will get huge media attention not only the following year, but later on as well. Not the mention the commercial benefit of the prize. Csaba Koch, the energic winemaker, the inventor of “the happy grape” viticultural concept well deserved the prize last year. Hungarianwines.eutook its guests of the 2019 study tour to Koch estate in Hajós–Baja wine region – it is an unforgettably visit! Tasting at Koch booth will require more than an hour, even if you want to taste, let’s say, wines made of Kadarkagrapes. He has different vintages, different labels, different vineyards (also an important vineyard in Villány), so take your time to discover Koch wines! Do not miss the novelty of the winery, an organic white wine made of an unknown resistant grape variety (Wine of the Week by Azonnali.hu)

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The Best Furmint of Hungary

You would expect the holder of the above mentioned title from Tokaj, wouldn’t you? So would we, but wonders never cease. Eger wine region was home of Furmint in pre-phyloxera times, no wonder Nimród Kovács, owner of Kovács Nimród Winery decided to plant some in his precious Nagy Eged vineyard (the highest in Hungary). The latest vintage of this Furmint is called Sky (after Nimród’s first granchild), and immediately it has won The Best Furmint title at VinAgora, plus their flagship red blend, NJK also won gold medal. At Budapest Wine Festival you will find KNW wines at the Eger wine regioncommunity booth along with 4 other wineries.

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